Fence supporting bracket



Aug. 26, 11952 w A HART I 2,608,386

FENCE SUPPORTING BRACKET Fild May 6, 1946 if 46/ E- I Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE 2,608,386 I FENCE SUPPORTING BRACKET William an, s egma, Mich.

Application May 6, 1946, Serial No. 667,593

a i a 1 This invention relates ularly to an improved bracket having a particular utility in the construction of fences.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fence supporting bracket which removal of I sections between adjacent fence posts.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved fence supporting bracket, the use of which affords a substantially flush connection between adjacent sections of the 1.

fence, uninterrupted by the fence posts between said adjacent fence sections, thus providing a fence front peculiarly adapted for the attachment of wire or screen.

1 Other and more detailed objects of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings, the following description, and the appended claims.

For a better understanding ofthe invention, reference may be had to the drawing in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout and wherein: I

- Figure 1 is an elevational view of a fence employing brackets. constructed according to one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the bracket employed in the fence illustrated in Fig.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, taken substantially along the line 3-3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of another form which the invention may assume;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the structure of Fig. 4, taken substantially along the line 5-5 thereof;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of structure, showing another form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4, showing a still further form of the invention, and

Fig. 8 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2, showing a further form of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the draw- 4 Claims. (01. c 4s) to brackets, and partic- 2 1 ing, the bracket IB comprises a generally rectanularly shaped back portion 12 which is curved transversely, as is most clearly shown at [4 in Fig-. 3. At each end, the back portion I2 is provided with an aperture I6 for receiving a nail or other means for securely mounting the bracket I0 on a fence post 18. Intermediate the apertures Hi, the back portion i2 .is provided with spaced parallel side portions 20 integrally formed thereon and having inwardly turned legs 22 formed on th lowerends thereof. .The legs 22 are adapted to support a fence cross bar 24, the end of which is received between the side portions 20, as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 3. One of the side portions 20 may be provided with an aperture 26 to receive a nail or othersecuring means which may be driven into the end of the cross bar 24 to prevent movement thereof relative to the bracket [0.

In constructing fences such as the picket fence ZB iIlustrated in Fig.- 1, the bracket of the present invention permits the complete fence section intermediate adjacent fence'posts l8 to be completed and then lowered into the brackets 10 after they have'been mounted in proper position on the fence posts. The fence sections maybe removed to facilitate painting and cleaning of the fence and mowing the lawn between the posts.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4, the bracket 30 may be a casting having a back portion 32 corresponding to the back portion l2, and an upwardly opening channel 34 having one end integrally connected to the back portion 32. The bracket 30 is employed in the same manner as the bracket ID, the sides 36 of the channel 34 corresponding to the side portion 20 and the bottom 38 of the channel 34 serving to support the cross bar 24 received between the side portions 36, in the same manner as do the legs 22 of the bracket 10.

The brackets 40 illustrated in Fig. 6 differ from the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 in the following respects. The back portion 42 is curved transversely to fit the circular post IS in the same manner as the back portion l2, but the parallel side portions 42 differ from the side portions 20 in that they are disposed such that one of such side portions 42 is tangent to the post l8 which the back portion 44 is adapted to fit. In this construction it will be apparent that one of the side portions 42 must be substantially longer than the other. The longer of these side portions may be reinforced by dliViIlg a nail 46 through apertures formed in said longer of r r 3 said side portions and in the back portion 44, and into the post I8.

It will be understood that this construction permits the cross .bars on opposite sides of a post 18 to be disposed with one surface thereof substantially in a plane tangent to the post. This construction presents a plane surface uninterrupted by fence posts to which screen or Wire fences, as the wire screen 8 illustrated in Fig. 6, may be readily attached.

The bracket 50 illustrated in Fig. 7 differs from that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 by the provision of the extending webs 52 formed on the upper end of the side portions 54, corresponding to the side portions 20. These webs 52 extend upwardly in the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 7, when the cross bar is lowered into place, and are thereafter deformed inwardly to overlie the cross bar 24 and assume the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 7. In this position the webs -52'1hold the cross bar, and :hence the entire .fence section, against movement upwardly.

In Fig. 8 a still further form of the invention isillustrat'ed, that wherein. the back portion l2 of iabracket It) illustratedin Fig. 2 has anchor- .ingtongues 58 extending rearwardly thereof'to form a staplelike attachingmeansatthe top and bottom of the backpportion. Thebracket of this type .issecured to the post bydrivingthe tongues 58 thereinto when the bracket is located in position thereon. It is to be understood that other forms of holding means than those herein illustrated may, be provided, such as lancing tongues 58-directly from the back portionor from the side portion 20- and bending the ton ues 'rearwardly of the back portion in position to enage thepost. 7

It is to be understood, therefore, that various changes may be made to the bracket .to'mod-ify the construction from that specifically illustrated and described which will fall within the scope ofithe'i-nvention and the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fence cross bar supporting bracket having an- 'arcuately curved back portion. adapted to engage a fence post, said backportion having .at least-one aperture formed therein byv which said bracket is secured to said fence post spaced, parallel flanges of less height than said back portion and integrally formedat the side edges ofsaid Sback portion and. extending outwardly therefrom, andaweb portion-on the Ibottomof each said flange extending toward each other and adapted to support one end .of saidcross .bar thereon.

2. A fence cross bar supporting bracket com- 4 post and extending above and below the side portions thereof and in which means are provided for securing said bracket to said post, and spaced parallel side portions integrally formed at the side edges of said back portion and extending outwardly therefrom, said side portions having inwardly bent webs formed on the lower ends thereof, said side portions and said webs being adapted to receive and support one end of said crossbar.

3. A fence cross bar supporting bracket comprising a back portion curved to fit the fence post and extending above and below the side portions thereof and in which means are provided for securing said bracket to said post, and spaced parallel side portions integrally formed at the side edges of said back portion and extending outwardly therefrom, said side portions having inwardly bent webs formed on the lower ends thereof, said side portions and said webs being adapted to receive and support one end of said cross .bar, at least one of said-side portions being apertured to receive a nail or other securing means for preventing withdrawal of, said cross bar from said bracket. 1 v

4. A fence supportingbracket including aback portion comprising a segment .of a circular cyl inder, and a pair of spaced parallel side portions on said. back portion with one of said side portions disposedsubstantially tangent to said cyl inder, said-one of said side portions and saidback portion havingaligned apertures therein for receiving a nail or other securing, means which may be driven through said aperturesand into the-fence post upon which said bracket is mounted to reinforce said one of said side portions.

WILLIAM A. HART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record :in. the file of this. -patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 25,397 Stark Apr. 14,1896 358,461 Lee Mar. .1, 1887 415,382 Darnell -.Nov. 19,1889 841,777 Hamilton et al. ,Jan. 22, 1 907 859,239 McFall July 9, 1907 949,075 Hulett Feb. 15,, 1910 1,056,576 Olson Mar. 18, 1913 1,890,631 'Symington .Dec. 13,, 1932 2,182,660 Dillard .Dec. 5, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date.

325,612 Great Britain Feb. 27, 1930 

